It isn’t especially attractive to photograph tourist destinations in the worst of weatherand therefore we passed through Kristiansund as quiet as we possibly could. But we were in luck. Before our ferry arrived at Averøy, the sun broke through the clouds above. And after having spent another hour having a quick lunch, we could proceed on our journey on the ‘Atlantic Ocean Road’ in something very close to sunlight.

Here on ‘Averøya’ the ‘Atlantic Ocean Road’ starts out on its way southward down the coast.
A spectacular piece of road, 5,2 miles long, built from island to island as close as you may possibly come to the Atlantic Ocean and across a piece of ocean that historically have the worst possible weather you may find oin the Norwegian coastline – ‘Hustadvika’.
The work on this strech of road started up in 1983 and the road was opened for traffic in 1989. The ‘Atlantic Ocean Road’ has become extremely popular with tourists visiting Norway as well as with Norwegians themselves, and in 2005 the road was appointed ‘the construction of the millenium’!

Small polished islets with small waves softly lapping the shores. But that’s today! We are about to stsart on a trip that will take us through one of the thoughest areas along the Norwegian coast. Here the ocean may be ridden by waves 50-60 ft high and the whole coast may be totally closed to shipping for days!

A small side road demands our attention for a second. Was it possible top visit the different islands we were passing? No, evidently not. Only if yolu were invited! This was a private area! So – we proceed on our way as planned.

Where we are now standing, there is a small parking space on the other side of the road. The reason being that this is the place where you leave your car if you want to visit ‘Håholmen havstuer’.Håholmen er et tidligere fiskevær som i dag er ombygget for turistformål. Her tar man imot kurs, konferanser og andre veifarende, men siden det ikke er veiforbindelse, må alle hentes med hotellets båt. Det koster i underkant av 100-lappen –

Previously ‘Håholmen’ was a local fishing station collecting fish from local fishermen, but today modernized and accepting tourists for overnight stays, parties etc.
There is, however, noe road connection. To get there, you’ll have to go by boat, which of course will cost you money! (About $ 20 p.p. each way! ) While you wait for the boat you may purchase souvenirs! (Souvenirs whish are often produced somewhere very far from Norway!) And perhaps someone ought to think through whether it be a wise thing to cheat on tourists visiting our country?)
My plan was to tell you everything about Håholmen, but – when we passed it was fully booked. Thus it would be a bnit foolish to spend 2x 40 dollars for a couple of pictures, which of course I have taken through a zoom objective 🙂

NB! Here zoom optics has been used, and the real distance is closer to 5 times what it looks like. Roumors say that a visit to Håholmen is something you shnould try to fit into your schedule (as long as there is an availability)

Now, – ladies and souvenir shops makes a concept of which we men don’t understand aanything about. Nor the way the brain seem to loose its ability to measure time consumption, so while waiting I made up my mind to give in to nature –

Overalt vokser det frodig her ute ved kysten!
The plantlife is lush out here in the coastal area.Måker har et fantastisk syn og ser føde på havoverflaten på laaang avstand.Seagulls have a fantastic eyesight and may spot anything edible a long way off!

Her ut mot kysten har Averøy fiskarlag reist en minnestøtte over de som har mistet sitt liv på havet.Here, facing the ocean, Averøy fishermens association have erected a memorial over those that never came back from the ocean.

Today the sea is rather calm. Still there are large areas of water moving around. Imagine what it would be like out here if the waves were approaching heights of 40-50 feet?
It may actually happen! You may see the coast in stormy weather here!

Actually our plan was to proceed along the coast to ‘Bud’, but since we had no information on possible places to stay the night in Bud, we decided to try for something here we were.Og vi hadde hellet med oss. Her fant vi plutselig et sted som drev med hytteutleie helt ut mot storhavet.And we were in luck! Here – utmost towards the ocean we found somebody renting cabins!Men før vi gikk til sengs ville vi ta en titt på terrenget ut mot havet –
Og det var fantastisk!
But before going to bed for the night, we wanted to have a look around. And it was really a fantastic place!Grønt og frodig, dog med en kraftig vind –Green and lush! And with a wind that could move mountains 🙂

29 Responses to The Atlantic Ocean Road

Wow, these are truly wonderful photos.. that Bridge is awesome, and I wonder at its height is needed in stormy weather.. Your wildlife , the birds and butterflies amazing, in detail as are the wild flowers.. thank you for such a delightful interlude to my morning Seenorway.. Its been a pleasure to visit you as usual..
Take care my good friend.. Love and Blessings Sue xox

Hi Sue,
Well, the bridge has a ‘sailing height’ of 23 meters, but it’s a rather narrow gap and not without risk when a storm is rising becaus teh whole sea underneath the bridge is moving and any ship that happens to be there moves with it. And as you can see, there is a rock there . . .
When the weather is real bad, the seawater is actually flying high above the bridge, and any car happening to be there gets a free car wash – with salt water!
I think I have another interestein link from the very same place: https://seenorway.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/stormy-weather/
Please enjoy!

Hey Gustavop,
The bridge is really something, not only due to the elevation but also ’cause its sort of turning to the side.
When it comes to grass on the roofing it’s a technique widely used in Norway but mostly when it comes to log cabins in the mountains, allthough you also might find them along our coastline.

Yes, it’s special! And as I wrote: Awarded the title ‘The road construction of this millenium’. The number eight most popular tourist destination in Norway for the time being and visited by something like 280 000 people pr year.
Lately the road authorities have made special platforms along the road available for fishing, so bring your fishing rod! 🙂

This summer I make 20 years since I went to visit Norway, I was in Oslo and Bergen. Certainly, these marvels that you show really deserve to come back, I will bring along my wife and daughter to live a great experience. I send you my best regards from Spain.

Good morning, Gustavop
Unfortunately, that’s the way it often ends up. Time seem to pass even quicker and quicker, and there is never enough of it available to allow us to do what we really want.
My private theory on the subject is there is always time – in abundance! But as we grow older, we need more times to do the things we managed in a jiffy before, thus we find ourselves short of time! It’s actually an excuse, I think. What we may possibly need, is better planning to get things done?
As for myself I’ve been to Spain a number of times, but it must be close to 20 years since I was there last. When was it actually? When I drove around into the moiuntains of the Canary Islands taking analoge pictures that I never looked at in the aftermath? 🙂 Perhaps I ought to bring my ‘new eyes’ (and camera) for a new peek at Spain 😀

You’re right, we should think on how to spend time in ourselves and manage to plan a trip wherever we like to meet. It’s just a matter of planning. I rather prefer going to Norway during summer, I have enough cold weather here during the rest of the year, hahaha. Regards.

I’m not quite sure I understood the meaning of ‘cold weather’ in Spain unless you live somwhere in the mountains 🙂
but as for Norway it’s a bit dependant of where in Norway you want to visit? Out here on the Atlantic Ocean Road you’d want to visit from late May to mid-August unless you’d want to see how wild it may get out there. Then Late November would be a good time! But you’d better hold on to your hat!

Hello: As you say, I live very close to the Mountains. Actually, Asturias is in northern Spain, located between the “Picos de Europa” (the Spanish Rocky mountains) and the Cantabrian Sea. Most of the year is cold (not as freezing as Norway of course, hahaha), and especially rainy during ten months of the year, like London. Where I live, Arriondas, is strategically set 18 kms away from the Cantabrian Sea and 28 km to the Covadonga Lakes, in the Peaks. These lakes (The Enol and Ercina) reach 1,134 meters over sea level, it is quite a climbing in a few kilometers, by car or bus, amazing!!. The location of these peaks is remarkable, very very close to the seashore; during good climate conditions these mountains where like beacons that guided ancient ships and vessels to Ports like Gijón or Santander. I have a post “Stone Cottage at “Picos de Europa” (26th-January-2013) that shows some pictures of these mountains, and a picture of the mentioned lakes in ““Astounding Asturias”” posted on October 31th, 2013. Some small Asturian ports, like Ribadesella or Lastres remind me about Bergen. If I manage to make a trip to Norway I will certainly ask for you for recommendations. Sorry for the delay in my reply. I follow your blog with lots of interest. Regards.

Hello Gustavop,
Then I understand. We do have similar conditions up here where people are living in heights of 800-1000 meters. Og course, there are places in the alps which are much higher, but it’s also quite a bit further south. Even her were I live (only at 107 meters) the night temperatures in the winter may reach 25-28 C minus, reclining to minus 12-15 during the day. But now we are seeing small signs of spring. Today it was thaw and the snowbanks along the road were slowly retracting; the roads were wet even wehen the sun was shining. This is a good sign! Soon there will be Easter! That’s when we put chairs out and start peeling a few oranges 🙂 Even the cat prefer ‘outside activities’!
So you’re living in a ‘rain country’ (Just like Bergen)? That reminds me of a cute little story:
‘A man was visiting Bergen and he had, of course heard, about the heavy rains in this part of the country, but just to make sure he asked the question:
Does it rain much in Bergen?
His friend smiled and said: Well, it isn’t all that bad. I’d say about twice a year!
‘Twice a year? Can that bee right?
‘Oh yes, definitely! Last year it rained only twice. The first time from January to May, and then there was the second time from June to November!
I read about som place in the montains in India/Nepal area where it was raining 350 days a year! That’s really something! But we tend to think of Spain as a warm country with a lot of sun, forgetting that it is a very large country. I’ll be checking your two post to see if this i something like Norway 🙂

Thank you for your story, I think I am going to adapt it and translate it to the local culture, hahaha. I remember that there is a saying also in Norway, that every kid is born with skis on their feet, sort of it as far as I remember, haha.
I appreciate your comments very much, Takk.

The butterfly that is blue, got a fur coat with pattern inside, goes frm flower to flower, collecting nectar.The brifdge got a curve that looks like a twisting snake waking up from the greens, and the stream passes by private islands with red tiled roof..very aloof ..quiet too..unlike the waves splashing the shore waking up..people how dare you ignore 🙂 Seagulls ..no lull in wife’s shopping spree, no time lost that much I can see..only my cash disappear magically..but love my wife..so let it be 🙂

Thank you, Jana! I did a real silly thing last night: After having written a full report to you all (40 pictures) I was about to close my browsers and – suddenly I pressed ‘publish’ in one of them . The result beiong that I was suddenly left with 1/3 of the report and only 8 pictures! (Had to reconstruct it all) All of a sudden it became a veeery late night!